Written Answers

Tuesday 23 May 2000

Scottish Executive

Autism

Mr Lloyd Quinan (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it currently records the number of incidences of the childhood condition autistic spectrum disorder; if so, whether it will make such information public and, if not, whether it plans to introduce the recording of such incidences.

Mr Sam Galbraith: The Annual School Census includes a count of pupils by main learning difficulty, such as Autistic Spectrum Disorder. The Executive publishes the results in an annual statistical bulletin which is available on the Scottish Executive Internet website and in document form. A copy is available from the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (SPICe).

Caledonian MacBrayne

Linda Fabiani (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive when the new appointments to the board of Caledonian MacBrayne will be announced.

Sarah Boyack: The new non-executive director appointments to the board of Caledonian MacBrayne will be announced soon.

Council Tax

Brian Adam (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will detail any amendments made to council tax liability and banding since its inception.

Mr Jack McConnell: We have made The Council Tax (Exempt Dwellings) (Scotland) Amendment (No.2) Order 1999.

  The Order substitutes a new paragraph 2 in Schedule 1 to the 1997 Order so that the exemption for dwellings undergoing major repair work or structural alteration (or which have recently undergone such work or alteration) ends 12 months after the dwelling in question was last occupied or (if sooner) six months after the work or alteration was substantially completed. It came into force on 1 April 2000.

  I can today inform Parliament that it is my intention to consult on plans to end the joint and several liability students have for council tax as part of the Executive’s consultation exercise on its proposals for student funding which Henry McLeish will announce on 24 May.

Dental Care

Fiona McLeod (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has changed the waiting time target for first appointments with specialists in child dental health in the last three years.

Susan Deacon: No changes have been made in the last three years to the national waiting times target of nine weeks for a first outpatient appointment following referral by a General Medical Practitioner/General Dental Practitioner.

Environment

Brian Adam (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the trends are in nitrate levels in the River Ythan; whether it is projected that these levels will breach the guideline of 50 milligrams of nitrates per litre of water and, if so, when.

Sarah Boyack: The Scottish Environment Protection Agency and its predecessor, the North East River Purification Board, have measured nitrate concentrations in the Ythan catchment on a regular basis since the early 1960s. Whilst there have been year-to-year variations in the data there has been a clear upward trend over the period with, for example, mean levels of nitrate at Ellon increasing from 7.2 milligrams per litre in 1961 to 37.4 mg/litre in 1998. Levels of nitrate in several tributaries of the Ythan, including the Keithfield, Youlie and Brounie Burns have already exceeded the limit in the directive which requires there to be less than 50 mg/litre in 95% of samples.

Environment

Mr Gil Paterson (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether materials contaminated with CJD or MRSA are being treated through Eurocare’s Cumbernauld plant.

Sarah Boyack: The operators of the Eurocare plant at Cumbernauld are not permitted by the terms of their licence from the Scottish Environment Protection Agency to treat materials contaminated with CJD, which should be incinerated.

  MRSA belongs to Hazard Group 2 of the risk groups of the World Health Organisation Laboratory Biosafety Manual in terms of infection. This group is considered to pose a moderate risk to individuals and a low risk to communities and is unlikely to be a serious hazard. Such material may be included in the clinical waste streams which are permitted to be treated at the Eurocare plant at Cumbernauld. The heat treatment process at the plant is designed to render such biological material harmless.

Europe

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-4423 by Mr Jack McConnell on 3 April 2000, what percentage of the total capital and set-up costs the £347,000 paid by Scottish Enterprise for establishing of Scotland House represented.

Mr Jack McConnell: Further to my earlier answers to questions S1W-1208, S1W-3174 and S1W-4423, I can confirm that the £347,000 paid by Scottish Enterprise represented 72% of the total capital and set-up costs of Scotland House.

Ferry Operations

Tricia Marwick (Mid Scotland and Fife) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-956 by Sarah Boyack on 1 September 1999, when it intends to make the study of fast ferry links on routes between Granton, Rosyth and Burntisland available.

Sarah Boyack: Copies of the Phase 1 and 2 reports of the Cross-Forth Passenger Ferry Study produced by Napier University were placed in the Parliament’s Information Centre on 10 May.

Ferry Operations

Mr Jamie Stone (Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive when it expects to announce the successful bidder for the Northern Isles ferry services.

Sarah Boyack: Costed bids for the Northern Isles ferry contract were invited on 28 April, and are expected in the last week of May. The Executive plans to award preferred bidder status as soon as possible thereafter and hopes to announce the successful bidder in June.

  The Executive recognises the importance of reaching a decision as soon as practical, while also ensuring that a thorough evaluation of the bidders’ technical proposals is carried out and that contract terms and conditions are clear to all bidders in order to ensure fair competition.

Fisheries

Tavish Scott (Shetland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what representations it has received regarding pelagic fishing vessels being unable to carry herring licences covering both the North Sea and west coast fishing areas at the same time.

Mr John Home Robertson: I have received representations from the Scottish Pelagic Fishermen's Association.

  As I have made clear in response to earlier questions (S1W-5701 and S1W-6384) and in a related answer (S1W-6449), the review of pelagic management arrangements undertaken jointly by the industry and Fisheries Departments last year has recommended that single area licensing for herring fisheries be retained but with some relaxation in the arrangements for the uplift of licences. I have agreed that these arrangements should be reviewed later this year to take stock of circumstances and experience in this year's herring fishing season.

Fisheries

Tavish Scott (Shetland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to allow pelagic fishing boats to carry on board both North Sea and west coast fishing licences at the same time.

Mr John Home Robertson: Single area licensing for herring fisheries was introduced in the UK in 1996 to safeguard North Sea stocks and discourage misreporting of catches.

  A review of pelagic management arrangements in the UK was undertaken jointly by the industry and Fisheries Departments last year. The working group's report, a copy which was placed in SPICe in January, recommended retention of single area licensing for herring but with some relaxation in the arrangements for uplifting licences. A further review will take place towards the end of the year, and which will take account of the experience gained in monitoring the conduct of this summer's fishery.

Fisheries

Richard Lochhead (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether a Scottish fisheries institute should be established.

Mr John Home Robertson: The proposal for a National Fisheries Institute was contained in the report of the House of Common’s Agriculture Committee into Sea Fishing. The Scottish fishing industry is already well served, for example, by the training run by Colleges in Shetland and Fraserburgh. I am not aware of any demand for further provision.

Fisheries

Mr David Davidson (North-East Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will make representations to Her Majesty's Government urging the introduction of export credit guarantee cover for the sale of pelagic fish from Scotland to Russia and the Baltic States.

Mr John Home Robertson: The Executive has already taken this matter up. The UK Export Credit Guarantee Department (ECGD) provides cover for medium- to long-term capital projects in a variety of countries. The ECGD is not intended to provide cover for short-term commercial operations, such as the export of fish. Appropriate insurance for such exports is normally available from commercial sources.

Freight

Mr Murray Tosh (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether any awards of Freight Facilities Grant made before 1 July 1999 remain to be paid and, if so, to specify which payments it will make and which are due to be paid directly from the Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions.

Sarah Boyack: £2.4 million of Freight Facilities Grant remains to be paid on awards made prior to 1 July 1999. All such payments will be made by the Scottish Executive.

Freight

Mr Adam Ingram (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will detail all of the projects for which funding has been allocated from the Freight Facilities Grant, including in particular the value of grants given to date; how much of the £18.3 million available for Freight Facilities Grants from 1999-2000 to 2001-02 remains to be allocated, and how many road-miles are expected to be made unnecessary as a result of projects funded through the Freight Facilities Grant, broken down by project.

Sarah Boyack: Nine awards have been made under the Freight Facilities Grant scheme in Scotland. Details of these awards are as follows:

  


Company


Amount of Award
(£)


Date Awarded


Equivalent lorry 
miles p.a. in Scotland




Deanside Transit1


3,045,000


August 1997


2,000,000




Safeways1


680,000


November 1998


480,000




HJ Banks


873,000


July 1999


1,080,000




LAW Mining


2,548,230


September 1999


1,200,000




TDG NEXUS2


3,233,333


September 1999


670,000




ABP


4,410,000


February 2000


1,400,000




ST Services


874,000


March 2000


400,000




Forth Ports


81,000


March 2000


87,000




Safeways Phase 2


896,554


March 2000


567,000




TOTAL


16,641,117

 

7,884,000




  Notes:

  1. Made by the Scottish Office.

  2. Excludes a contribution of £6,466,666 from Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions for benefits secured in England.

  Some expenditure on these schemes will be incurred beyond March 2002. £6 million of the £18.3 million funding available up to March 2002 remains unallocated. Funding for the scheme beyond this period will be subject to the consideration of spending priorities for the Scottish Executive as a whole.

Freight

Mr Adam Ingram (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive to provide details of all applications for Freight Facilities Grant funding received to date, including those applications which did not receive funding, specifying in each case why funding was not granted.

Sarah Boyack: Details of successful awards made since 1 July 1999 were provided in the answer to question S1W-6306. No formal applications have so far failed to secure grant.

Health

Pauline McNeill (Glasgow Kelvin) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what progress has been made in the collaborative review of child services in Glasgow between Yorkhill NHS Trust and the Greater Glasgow Primary Care NHS Trust.

Susan Deacon: Yorkhill and Greater Glasgow Primary Care NHS Trusts have been collaborating with Greater Glasgow Health Board in reviewing the provision of Children’s Community Health Services in the health board’s area. I believe that a report on their findings will be discussed at a meeting of the health board’s Child Health Strategy Group later this month.

  Further information is available from either of the Trusts or the health board direct.

Health

Alex Fergusson (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to reduce the number of people who suffer from vitamin and/or trace element disorders so as to decrease the numbers requiring medical attention and hospitalisation.

Alex Fergusson (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what proportion and how many of the population, in total and broken down by health board area, are affected by vitamin and trace element disorders.

Alex Fergusson (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive which are the most common vitamin and trace element disorders present within the population.

Susan Deacon: Vitamin and trace element disorders are relatively uncommon in Scotland. The latest available data, derived from the Continuous Morbidity Recording System, indicate that, in 1998, 0.05% of the population – 2,700 individuals – consulted their GPs about such disorders resulting from dietary causes. Disaggregated information, by health board, is not available centrally.

  The most common related disorders are iron deficiency anaemia and, to a lesser extent, osteomalacia.

  Action to reduce vitamin and trace element nutritional disorders focus on the work being taken forward to improve the population’s diet through implementation of the Scottish Diet Action Plan, Eating for Health. We are, in addition, targeting specific action on key groups, such as pregnant women, older people in care and ethnic communities who are considered to be at particular risk.

Health and Safety of NHS Staff

Mr Kenneth Gibson (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what number of assaults on staff was reported in each of the Greater Glasgow Health Board hospitals in each of the last four years for which figures are available.

Susan Deacon: The information requested is not held centrally, but will be held locally by each Trust.

  As recommended by the Occupational Health and Safety Service Strategy, Towards a Safer Healthier Workplace, a Minimum Dataset Working Group has been set up to identify minimum datasets relating to health and safety, such as violence. These will set employers a minimum standard of data collection, strengthen local monitoring and provide a platform on which to base local decisions and local action. The group is expected to report to NHS Scottish Partnership Forum at the end of this month.

Justice

Bill Aitken (Glasgow) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how many summary criminal diets were introduced in Glasgow Sheriff Court during (a) March 1999 and (b) March 2000.

Mr Jim Wallace: The following table shows the number of summary criminal complaints registered and trial diets called at Glasgow Sheriff Court in the months of March 1999 and March 2000 respectively. In March 1999 a number of additional summary criminal courts were scheduled at the request of the Regional Procurator Fiscal.

  

 

March 1999


March 2000




Summary Criminal Cases Registered


1,348


1,154




Summary Trial Diets Called


907


782

Justice

Bill Aitken (Glasgow) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how many prisoners were released from Scottish prisons during 1999 and, of these, how many had their sentences increased by loss of remission.

Mr Jim Wallace: Reliable information in the form requested is not available.

Land Register

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive (a) what counties are currently on the land register and what counties remain to be placed on it; (b) when the outstanding counties are projected to become active and (c) what proportion of Scotland is currently on the land register.

Mr Jim Wallace: The land register is in operation in the counties shown in Table A. The operation of the land register will be extended to counties currently outwith the scope of its operations in accordance with the extension programme shown in Table B. Approximately 40% of Scottish properties are registered in the land register.

  


Table A


Table B




Counties where 
the Land Register is operational


Land Register 
extension programme




Renfrew


Dumbarton


Midlothian


1 April 2001




Lanark


Glasgow


Inverness


1 April 2002




Clackmannan


Stirling


Nairn


1 April 2002 




West Lothian


Fife

 
 



Aberdeen


Kincardine


Banff


1 April 2003




Ayr


Dumfries


Caithness


1 April 2003




Kirkcudbright


Wigtown


Moray


1 April 2003




Angus


Kinross


Orkney and Shetland


1 April 2003




Perth


Berwick


Ross and Cromarty


1 April 2003




East Lothian


Peebles


Sutherland


1 April 2003




Roxburgh


Selkirk

 
 



Argyll


Bute

Local Government Finance

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how much non-domestic rating income (a) it calculated should be distributed to and (b) was collected by each local authority in each of the last five years.

Mr Jack McConnell: The amounts of non-domestic rate income distributed to local authorities in each of the last five years, and collected by local authorities for years 1996-97 to 1998-99, are shown in the following table. Figures are not yet available for 1999-2000 and 2000-01 collections:

  


Council


1996-97


1997-98







Distributed


Collected


Distributed


Collected




Aberdeen City


56,050,000


86,909,230


56,571,000


92,077,265




Aberdeenshire


57,834,000


44,835,817


58,484,000


45,794,645




Angus


28,589,000


17,881,385


28,856,000


17,667,960




Argyll & Bute


23,409,000


24,905,858


23,574,000


23,925,238




Clackmannanshire


12,497,000


10,409,625


12,604,000


10,604,813




Dumfries & Galloway


37,812,000


27,831,687


38,184,000


31,037,389




Dundee City


38,695,000


39,584,602


38,987,000


39,377,604




East Ayrshire


31,608,000


16,508,548


31,784,000


20,644,896




East Dunbartonshire 


28,308,000


14,695,817


28,691,000


14,936,428




East Lothian


22,206,000


24,079,491


22,624,000


24,224,075




East Renfrewshire


22,314,000


9,699,357


22,758,000


8,102,884




Edinburgh, City of


113,487,000


169,526,631


115,545,000


179,348,233




Eilean Siar


7,498,000


4,482,845


7,497,000


4,636,830




Falkirk


36,464,000


45,196,145


36,867,000


41,533,242




Fife


90,079,000


99,952,162


90,774,000


93,983,725




Glasgow City


159,507,000


219,409,650


159,662,000


203,939,379




Highland


53,085,000


51,131,606


53,777,000


50,237,633




Inverclyde*


22,866,000


14,111,817


22,897,000


15,684,943




Midlothian


20,469,000


11,729,201


20,623,000


11,998,115




Moray


22,347,000


18,100,377


22,500,000


19,300,029




North Ayrshire


35,584,000


34,462,286


36,020,000


35,580,437




North Lanarkshire*


83,596,000


63,138,676


84,355,000


56,933,088




Orkney


5,068,000


5,962,906


5,130,000


5,639,008




Perth & Kinross


33,770,000


31,684,643


34,290,000


32,776,628




Renfrewshire*


45,318,000


43,513,331


46,042,000


44,499,634




Scottish Borders


27,042,000


16,299,596


27,418,000


17,340,330




Shetland


5,853,000


15,915,411


5,961,000


14,235,802




South Ayrshire


29,257,000


25,664,737


29,579,000


26,253,041




South Lanarkshire


78,671,000


63,847,135


79,367,000


57,732,714




Stirling


20,983,000


23,350,956


21,242,000


23,435,752




West Dunbartonshire*


24,857,000


20,572,119


24,859,000


22,853,790




West Lothian


37,912,000


36,658,220


38,607,000


40,843,193




  * 1998-99 audited figures not yet available – figures based on most recent estimate of NDR collected by councils.

  


Council


1998-99


1999-2000


2000-01







Distributed


Distributed


Distributed


Collected




Aberdeen City


59,112,000


60,723,000


69,193,000


101,318,328




Aberdeenshire


61,879,000


63,678,000


73,477,000


49,466,288




Angus


30,141,000


30,998,000


35,745,000


19,568,920




Argyll & Bute


24,716,000


25,464,000


29,221,000


28,299,338




Clackmannanshire


13,280,000


13,726,000


15,770,000


10,495,047




Dumfries & Galloway


40,159,000


41,423,000


47,835,000


31,789,211




Dundee City


40,880,000


41,879,000


47,637,000


42,071,071




East Ayrshire


33,289,000


34,266,000


39,391,000


21,876,160




East Dunbartonshire 


30,133,000


31,178,000


35,582,000


14,797,539




East Lothian


23,981,000


25,028,000


29,087,000


24,911,565




East Renfrewshire


23,965,000


24,916,000


28,571,000


10,126,348




Edinburgh, City of


122,123,000


126,547,000


146,193,000


186,151,389




Eilean Siar


7,858,000


7,942,000


9,073,000


4,632,944




Falkirk


38,918,000


40,273,000


46,799,000


44,466,106




Fife


95,038,000


97,975,000


113,303,000


101,297,014




Glasgow City


167,718,000


172,008,000


201,238,000


231,326,059




Highland


56,783,000


58,661,000


67,644,000


53,075,991




Inverclyde


23,698,000


24,325,000


27,733,000


16,455,511




Midlothian


21,777,000


22,688,000


26,259,000


12,994,938




Moray


23,538,000


24,193,000


27,886,000


19,672,200




North Ayrshire


37,961,000


39,308,000


45,354,000


36,854,012




North Lanarkshire


88,682,000


91,822,000


106,100,000


68,164,545




Orkney


5,387,000


5,579,000


6,349,000


6,209,691




Perth & Kinross


36,070,000


37,472,000


43,204,000


32,924,976




Renfrewshire


48,580,000


50,129,000


57,749,000


46,023,557




Scottish Borders


28,868,000


29,865,000


34,520,000


18,548,281




Shetland


6,263,000


6,474,000


7,440,000


12,351,868




South Ayrshire


31,189,000


32,303,000


37,164,000


28,296,107




South Lanarkshire


83,651,000


86,431,000


99,651,000


69,496,242




Stirling


22,515,000


23,504,000


29,996,000


26,955,963




West Dunbartonshire


26,054,000


26,909,000


30,812,000


22,396,416




West Lothian


41,022,000


42,835,000


49,715,000


44,096,478

Local Government Finance

Donald Gorrie (Central Scotland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive to detail, by local authority area, the sum for 1998-99 and the estimated sums for 1999-2000 and 2000-01 (a) raised by the non-domestic rate and (b) paid by Her Majesty’s Treasury or by the Scottish Executive in the distribution of non-domestic rates.

Mr Jack McConnell: The amounts of non-domestic rate income distributed to local authorities for years 1998-99 to 2000-01, and collected by local authorities for 1998-99, are shown in the following table. Figures are not yet available for 1999-2000 and 2000-01 collections:

  


Council


1998-99


1998-99


1999-2000


2000-01







Distributed


Collected


Distributed


Distributed




Aberdeen City


59,112,000


101,318,328


60,723,000


69,193,000




Aberdeenshire


61,879,000


49,466,288


63,678,000


73,477,000




Angus


30,141,000


19,568,920


30,998,000


35,745,000




Argyll & Bute


24,716,000


28,299,338


25,464,000


29,221,000




Clackmannanshire


13,280,000


10,495,047


13,726,000


15,770,000




Dumfries & Galloway


40,159,000


31,789,211


41,423,000


47,835,000




Dundee City


40,880,000


42,071,071


41,879,000


47,637,000




East Ayrshire


33,289,000


21,876,160


34,266,000


39,391,000




East Dunbartonshire


30,133,000


14,797,539


31,178,000


35,582,000




East Lothian


23,981,000


24,911,565


25,028,000


29,087,000




East Renfrewshire


23,965,000


10,126,348


24,916,000


28,571,000




Edinburgh, City of


122,123,000


186,151,389


126,547,000


146,193,000




Eilean Siar


7,858,000


4,632,944


7,942,000


9,073,000




Falkirk


38,918,000


44,466,106


40,273,000


46,799,000




Fife


95,038,000


101,297,014


97,975,000


113,303,000




Glasgow City


167,718,000


231,326,059


172,008,000


201,238,000




Highland


56,783,000


53,075,991


58,661,000


67,644,000




Inverclyde*


23,698,000


16,455,511


24,325,000


27,733,000




Midlothian


21,777,000


12,994,938


22,688,000


26,259,000




Moray


23,538,000


19,672,200


24,193,000


27,886,000




North Ayrshire


37,961,000


36,854,012


39,308,000


45,354,000




North Lanarkshire*


88,682,000


68,164,545


91,822,000


106,100,000




Orkney


5,387,000


6,209,691


5,579,000


6,349,000




Perth & Kinross


36,070,000


32,924,976


37,472,000


43,204,000




Renfrewshire*


48,580,000


46,023,557


50,129,000


57,749,000




Scottish Borders


28,868,000


18,548,281


29,865,000


34,520,000




Shetland


6,263,000


12,351,868


6,474,000


7,440,000




South Ayrshire


31,189,000


28,296,107


32,303,000


37,164,000




South Lanarkshire


83,651,000


69,496,242


86,431,000


99,651,000




Stirling


22,515,000


26,955,963


23,504,000


29,996,000




West Dunbartonshire*


26,054,000


22,396,416


26,909,000


30,812,000




West Lothian


41,022,000


44,096,478


42,835,000


49,715,000




  * 1998-99 audited figures not yet available – figures based on most recent estimate of NDR collected by councils.

Misuse of Drugs Act 1971

Mr Murray Tosh (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 applies equally in Scotland as in England and Wales and, if not, whether there is any equivalent Scottish Act.

Mr Jim Wallace: The Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 applies throughout the UK and is reserved to the UK Government at Westminster.

National Lottery Awards

Pauline McNeill (Glasgow Kelvin) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what proportion of National Lottery grants awarded in Scotland are given to organisations in (a) the Glasgow area and (b) the Glasgow Kelvin constituency.

Rhona Brankin: Since 1993, 31.56% of the total National Lottery grant awarded in Scotland has been to organisations whose headquarters are located in the Glasgow City Council area. 16.68% has been awarded to organisations whose headquarters are located in the Glasgow Kelvin constituency area.

National Stadium

Mr Keith Harding (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-3756 by Mr Sam Galbraith on 6 March 2000, which budget the additional £600,000 funding offered to the Hampden rescue package will come from, given that all estimated end-year flexibility within the Education, Culture and Sport budget has been allocated.

Mr Sam Galbraith: I refer the member to my answer to question S1W-4931.

Parliamentary Questions

Mr Duncan Hamilton (Highlands and Islands) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to questions S1W-2029 lodged on 18 October 1999 and S1W-4614 lodged on 22 February 2000, when it expects to give a substantive answer to question S1W-2029 and whether it will give an explanation for the delay.

Donald Dewar: PQ S1W-2029 was answered on 9 May.

Public Transport

Robert Brown (Glasgow) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans to support a national subsidised public transport fare scheme for young people aged 16 and 17.

Sarah Boyack: The Scottish Executive has no plans to support such a scheme. Local authorities have powers under section 93 of the Transport Act 1985 to provide concessionary fares for certain categories of person, including young people aged over 16 and under 18 who are undergoing full-time education. These powers are discretionary and it is for individual authorities to determine their concession travel arrangements for eligible categories of person.

Rail Network

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what representations have been made to the Strategic Rail Authority regarding incremental output statements and what capacity/capability improvements it will support.

Sarah Boyack: The Scottish Executive has been consulted, along with the rail industry, by the shadow Strategic Rail Authority on the draft Incremental Output Statements (IOS) for Scotland. Principal responsibility for implementing the agreed IOS will fall to Railtrack. Incremental outputs that may require public support have yet to be identified.

Rape

Mr Gil Paterson (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what percentage of police stations have dedicated rape suites and what steps it is taking to ensure that every police force establishes such a facility as a matter of priority.

Mr Jim Wallace: In total there are 25 police stations with dedicated rape suites (5.5%). In addition police forces in Scotland have made provision for the use of other suitable facilities through their local social work departments and hospitals.

Road Safety

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what has been the rate of child pedestrian casualties and deaths per 100,000 of the population for each year since 1995.

Sarah Boyack: Full information about road accident casualties is published annually by the Scottish Executive in Road Accidents Scotland , copies of which are available in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre.

  The information requested is set out in the table below.

  Child pedestrian casualties: rate per 100,000 population

  

 

All casualties


Killed and seriously 
injured


Deaths




1995


198


62


1.5




1996


186


53


1.6




1997


186


49


1.5




1998


174


45


1.8

Road Safety

Nicola Sturgeon (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it will take to reduce the rate of pedestrian injuries among children living in disadvantaged areas.

Sarah Boyack: The Scottish Executive and the UK Government recently announced targets for road accident casualty reductions in the period to 2010. These include a 50% reduction in the number of child fatal and serious casualties. The targets, together with a strategy for achieving them, were published on 1 March.

  The Scottish Executive will take into account the findings of the research report Road Accidents and Children Living in Disadvantaged Areas, published by the Scottish Executive Central Research Unit on 19 April, when targeting road safety campaigns for disadvantaged areas.

Road Safety

Nicola Sturgeon (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what impact lack of access to safe crossing sites and safe play areas and location of schools outside the communities they serve has on the level of child pedestrians injured in road accidents.

Sarah Boyack: Research published recently by the Scottish Executive found that child pedestrians from socio-economically disadvantaged families have a higher risk of injury in road accidents than children in higher socio-economic groups and that injuries tend to be of greater severity. The research suggested that the link between social deprivation and the high accident rate of child pedestrians may be partly explained by increased exposure to hazardous environments, such as busy roads with a lack of safe crossing sites, the location of schools within the community and the availability of and access to safe play areas. These factors, compounded by a lack of adult supervision of younger children, appear to exacerbate road accident rates in disadvantaged areas.

  Research to be commissioned by the Scottish Executive later this year will consider road safety initiatives in deprived areas. In particular, the research will establish the extent and type of community road safety initiatives in Scotland, focusing on deprived areas. It will compare different types of initiatives and consider best practice. Guidelines to be produced in the light of the research will advise local authorities and community organisations on how to establish and run a road safety initiative.

Road Safety

Nicola Sturgeon (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to improve child safety awareness, particularly for children living in disadvantaged areas.

Nicola Sturgeon (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to raise awareness of road safety issues among parents in disadvantaged areas.

Sarah Boyack: The Scottish Executive will continue to fund the operation of the Children’s Traffic Club in Scotland to ensure that road safety education is available free to all three- and four-year-old children in Scotland. Research published last year found that the club was having a positive effect on both the members and their carers.

  The format of the Children’s Traffic Club in Scotland is being revised. Changes are being made to the number, frequency and content of books sent to members with the aim of encouraging greater use of the materials, particularly by members and carers from lower socio-economic groups.

Road Safety

Nicola Sturgeon (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will make a statement about the findings of the recently published report Road Accidents and Children Living in Disadvantaged Areas .

Sarah Boyack: The review is useful to help explain the ways in which the social and physical environment can contribute to higher child pedestrian casualty rates. The Scottish Executive will take the study’s findings into account when targeting road safety campaigns for disadvantaged areas. This will help us to make progress towards meeting our target for a reduction of 50% in the number of child road deaths and serious injuries by 2010.

  Copies of the report Road Accidents and Children Living in Disadvantaged Areas: A Literature Review have been placed in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (SPICe).

Roads

Linda Fabiani (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will commission a route action plan study for the A71 Edinburgh to Kilmarnock road.

Sarah Boyack: The A71 is not a trunk road and the Scottish Executive has therefore no plans to commission a Route Action Plan on it.

Roads

Des McNulty (Clydebank and Milngavie) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it plans to conduct a multi-modal corridor study covering the A82 between Anniesland and the Erskine Bridge and the A814 between Finnieston and the Erskine Bridge.

Sarah Boyack: No. The A82 between Anniesland and the Erskine Bridge and the A814 between Finnieston and the Erskine Bridge are not trunk roads and are the responsibility of the relevant local authorities.

Roads

Dr Elaine Murray (Dumfries) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether, in preparing the Route Action Plan for the A75 announced on 31 March 2000, it considered the status of the A75 in the European Union’s Trans-European Road Network and in the Ireland-UK-Benelux Road Upgrading Project.

Sarah Boyack: The A75 has been part of the Trans-European Road Network for a number of years and all decisions relating to the road take that into account.

Roads

Dr Elaine Murray (Dumfries) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has investigated the possibility of attracting European funding in relation to the Route Action Plan for the A75.

Sarah Boyack: An unsuccessful application was made in December 1996 for European Community funding for the A75 Route Action Plan.

Roads

Dr Elaine Murray (Dumfries) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it made any representations to Her Majesty's Government regarding the possible consequences in Scotland of the decision to detrunk the A7 south of the Scottish–English border.

Sarah Boyack: The UK Government’s decision on core and non-core roads in England was taken before 1 July 1999.

  The Scottish Executive is responsible for the maintenance and upkeep of the A7 from the English border to Galashiels and has no plans to detrunk any part of this route.

Roads

Mr Keith Harding (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how much it would cost each local authority to clear its backlog of road repairs and maintenance.

Sarah Boyack: The Scottish Executive does not hold the information requested.

Roads

George Lyon (Argyll and Bute) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether utilities such as West of Scotland Water can erect road signs without the requirement for advertisement consent under the deemed consent categories contained within the Town and Country Planning (Control of Advertisements) Regulations 1994.

Sarah Boyack: Statutory undertakers, including West of Scotland Water may display functional advertisements without the express consent of the local planning authority as long as they comply with the conditions set out in The Town and Country Planning (Control of Advertisements) (Scotland) Regulations 1984, as amended.

Roads

Karen Gillon (Clydesdale) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to ensure greater consultation between the utility supply companies when undertaking excavation of public roads and highways.

Sarah Boyack: The New Roads and Street Works Act 1991 requires the utility companies to give roads authorities advance notice of all road works and reinstatements and it requires roads authorities to keep a register of road works in roads for which they are responsible. The Scottish Road Works Register is kept and maintained on the roads authorities' behalf by Susiephone Limited, a registered company set up specifically for that purpose. It covers all Scottish mainland local authorities. Information submitted by utility companies is circulated to other utility companies so that they may co-ordinate road works where possible.

Rural Affairs

Richard Lochhead (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how much of its Rural Affairs Department budget, expressed in percentage and monetary terms, was reimbursed by Europe in each of the last five financial years and will be this year and next year; what are the arrangements for reimbursement, and how did and does this impact on the block grant.

Ross Finnie: The table below shows the extent (value and percentage of total budget) to which Rural Affairs portfolio expenditure (that is, excluding expenditure on the   environment by the Rural Affairs Department) is offset by contributions from the European Union.

  


1995-96
Outturn
(£ million)


1996-97
Outturn
(£ million)


1997-98
Outturn
(£ million)


1998-99
Outturn
(£ million)


1999-2000
Estimated
Outturn
(£ million)


2000-01
Plan
(£ million)


2001-02
Plan
(£ million)




365
(70%)


436
(73%)


333
(65%)


363
(63%)


357
(65%)


386
(70%)


413
(70%)




  Arrangements for EU reimbursements vary. Over 95% of the total EU related funding shown comes from the Guarantee Section of the European Agricultural Guidance and Guarantee Fund (EAGGF). Under EU rules member states receive reimbursement from Brussels for related scheme spending, generally some two months in arrears. In the UK, payments to beneficiaries are funded by the UK Exchequer – from the Westminster Vote for the Intervention Board Executive Agency which is the nominated UK Funding Agency for CAP schemes. The agency passes the funds to Scottish Ministers for payment by the Rural Affairs Department. The agency's vote subsequently brings to account of the UK Exchequer the related EU receipts.

  The small balance of EU funding comes mainly from the Guidance Section of EAGGF and from the EU Financial Instrument for Fisheries Guidance (FIFG) and the department claims from Brussels the relevant EU contribution towards the gross costs of the measures concerned.

  In the case of the major component of EU contributions – from the EAGGF Guarantee Section – spending is from the Assigned Budget, but is part of Annually Managed Expenditure. The costs of any increased demand for related CAP spending are met entirely by the UK Treasury. The small balance of EU receipts has two main components. The largest single component is spending on Hill Livestock Compensatory Allowances (HLCAs), which generates about £8 million a year of EU receipts. Spending on HLCAs is in the non-Assigned Budget. The remaining balance of receipts is attributable to EU contributions towards a range of agricultural and fisheries structural measures for which the department holds gross spending provision, within the Assigned Budget.

Rural Affairs

Karen Gillon (Clydesdale) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what was the conclusion of the review of the British Potato Council.

Ross Finnie: I have considered the report of the review together with the Ministers with responsibility for agriculture in England and Wales. We are satisfied with the progress made by the council since its creation in 1997 and agree that the council carries out an essential function and provides good value for money to the levy payers. Its contribution to the worldwide promotion of Scottish potatoes is invaluable. We have therefore concluded that the BPC should continue for a further term. The review highlighted some areas where the BPC can improve its services, and we will be working with the council to address these.

Saltire

Irene McGugan (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the recommended or officially recognised shade of blue for the Saltire is.

Mr Jim Wallace: The heraldic description of the Saltire is an argent cross on an azure background , although heraldic colours are not strictly defined. There is no recommended or officially recognised shade of blue for the Saltire, the longstanding convention being that any blue that is clearly "blue" is acceptable.

Transport

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-4512 by Sarah Boyack on 25 April 2000, whether it will receive any of the savings arising from the reduction in future franchise payments and, if so, whether this money will be reinvested in the rail industry or in public transport.

Sarah Boyack: The general saving to the Exchequer represented by the reduction of payments to all 25 rail passenger franchises is one of many factors influencing the consideration of UK public spending priorities. Such savings are amongst the many factors that influence the formulation to the Scottish block. Under the devolution settlement it is for the Scottish Executive to decide on spending priorities thereafter.

Transport

Robert Brown (Glasgow) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to make cycling safer for children.

Sarah Boyack: The Scottish Executive provides funding to the Scottish Road Safety Campaign to enable it to develop road safety education initiatives. Following a review of the Scottish Cycle Training Scheme by the campaign, the written training materials were revised and a new training video made. The new training pack was launched on 27 March, and has been issued to all Road Safety Units in Scotland. The pack will assist in the delivery of high quality cycle training. It will be followed shortly by a new Safer Cycling Guide for Parents designed to inform parents on how to keep their children safe when cycling. In addition, the campaign is considering the development of a "training the trainers" guide, which will be aimed at Road Safety Officers and will ensure a basic standard of training for all volunteer trainers.

  The publications How to run Safer Routes to School (issued to all schools and local authorities in Scotland in December 1999) and Cycling by Design (issued to all local authorities in March 2000) together provide practical advice on the creation of safe environments for cyclists, the latter concentrating particularly on children.

Transport and the Environment

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-4391 by Sarah Boyack on 29 February 2000, whether it will detail, for each study, consultation and report, the date of publication or expected publication and the date made available in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre.

Sarah Boyack: The information requested is set out in the following two tables.

  TRANSPORT

  


Title


Publication date


Expected publication 
date


Date made available 
in SPICE




Reports




Audit of Preliminary Local Transport 
Strategies and Road Traffic Reduction Reports


Feb. 2000

 

March 2000




Guidance on Local Transport Strategies 
and Road Traffic Reduction Reports


Feb. 2000

 

March 2000




The Integrated Transport Bill: 
The Executive’s proposals


Feb. 2000

 

Feb. 2000




Travel Choices for Scotland – 
Strategic Roads Review


Nov. 1999

 

Nov. 1999




Studies




A8 (T) Baillieston to Newhouse 
Maintenance Options Study 

 

Autumn 2000

 



Borders Rail Feasibility Study


Feb. 2000

 

Feb. 2000




Capacity Enhancement Study - 
M8 Kingston Bridge and Approaches

 

Spring 2001

 



Contributing to a sustainable 
integrated transport system

 

Dec. 2000

 



Development of the National Public 
Transport Timetable


NIFP1

 
 



Echline, South Queensferry recycling 
study

 

NIFP2

 



Forth Road Bridge Traffic Monitoring


NIFP2

 
 



Forth Transport 
Infrastructure Partnership Radical Measures Study: Phase II


NIFP3

 
 



Landscape potential 
of Scottish trees and shrubs

 

Dec. 2000

 



Pedestrian perceptions 
of road crossing facilities

 

Oct. 2000

 



Recreational 
drugs and driving

 

Nov. 2000

 



Review of Techniques 
for Measuring Accessibility

 

Aug. 2000

 



Tariff Rebate 
Subsidy Scheme: Bulk Freight and Livestock Shipping Services 
Review

 

Ongoing

 



The Role of Transport 
in Social Exclusion

 

Dec. 2000

 



Upper Forth Crossing 
at Kincardine – Transport and Economic Analyses Commission

 

Spring/ Summer 
2001

 



Upper Forth Crossing 
at Kincardine - Engineering, Ecology and Environment Commission

 

Spring/ Summer 
2001

 



Validation of 
the Road Asset Valuation Model


NIFP2

 
 



Women and Transport

 

Aug. 2000

 



Consultations




Tackling Congestion: 
The Scottish Executive’s consultation paper on fighting traffic 
congestion and pollution through road user charging and workplace 
parking charges


July 1999

 

July 1999




  ENVIRONMENT

  


Title


Publication date


Expected publication 
date


Date made available 
in SPICE




Reports




Air Quality Strategy for England, 
Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland


Jan. 2000





Jan. 2000




Annual drinking water quality 
report 


Oct. 1999





Nov. 19994




Report of National Goose Forum


Feb. 2000





Feb. 2000




Water quality and standards - 
investment priorities for the Scottish Water Authorities 


Nov. 1999





Nov. 1999




Studies




Biodiversity - database





NIFP1







Biodiversity - local authority 
policy development 





2001







Biodiversity - socio-economic 
benefits 





 2001







Capercaillie - improvements in 
management techniques 





Summer 2000







Climate change - Atlantic comparison 






Summer 2000







Climate change - Scottish Regional 
Scenarios 





Autumn 2000







Database of groundwater monitoring 
sites 





NIFP1







Economic impact of irrigation 
controls 





NIFP1







Effects of diffuse agricultural 
pollution on Ayrshire bathing waters





2002







Emissions of Sulphur Dioxide 
from small combustion plants





Summer 2000







Local Authority Waste Management 
- cost implications





June 2001







Options for mink management in 
Western Isles 





Summer 2000







Partnership for Action against 
Wildlife Crime - sponsorship opportunities





NIFP5







Scottish inputs to water environment 
and their contribution to nutrient levels of the North Sea





2002







Shellfish waters improvement 
programmes 





NIFP1







Survey of public attitudes on 
the environment 


NIFP6










Consultations




Basic Safety Standards Directive 
- consultation 


Feb. 2000





Feb. 2000




Four Consultation papers on air 
quality general guidance 


March 2000





March 2000




Four Consultation papers on air 
quality technical guidance 





May 2000







Consultation paper on designation 
of shellfish waters 


Oct. 1999





Oct. 1999




Consultation paper on designation 
of Ythan Nitrate Vulnerable Zone 


Nov. 1999





Nov. 1999




Consultation paper on disposal 
of polychlorinated biphenyls


Feb. 1999





Feb. 1999




Consultation paper on landfill 
reduction 


Nov. 1999





Nov. 1999




Contaminated land - consultation 



Nov. 1999





Nov. 1999




Integrated Pollution Protection 
and Control consultation 


Aug. 1999





Aug. 1999




National Parks (Scotland) Bill 
- consultation 


Jan. 2000





Jan. 2000




Works Notices Regulations - consultation 
paper 


Jan. 2000





Jan. 2000




  NIFP – Not Intended for Publication

  Notes:

  1. Paper to inform policy development only.

  2. Technical report.

  3. Paper distributed among member local authorities of ForthTRIP.

  4. The date when available to SPICe is not known, the date shown is the date when the document was passed to the Parliamentary Clerk’s office within the Scottish Executive. It can be assumed that the document was sent to SPICe shortly afterwards.

  5. The PAW feasibility study is confidential within the Partnership and will form the basis for any future approaches to commercial organisations identified in the study. The Scottish Executive contributed only in part to the overall cost of the study.

  6. Survey was used to help frame qualitative research.

Water

Euan Robson (Roxburgh and Berwickshire) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether school children have visited water treatment or sewage works in Scotland in the last five years and, if so, what safety and protective precautions were taken, and should by law have been taken, during such visits.

Sarah Boyack: Each year the water authorities undertake a whole series of open days and organised visits involving schools and various other organisations. These are carried out under the strictest safety conditions. All water authorities operate in compliance with the general duty of care to non-employees under section 3 (1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974.

  Arrangements are in place to ensure that, prior to any visit, facilities are checked for hazardous material and other potential dangers. In addition protective clothing is provided when necessary. Additionally the water authorities ensure that school visits in particular are well supervised.

Water

Des McNulty (Clydebank and Milngavie) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what financial and technical criteria are used in determining the best value for money solutions for specific schemes needed to meet the requirements of the Urban Waste Water Treatment (Scotland) Regulations 1994.

Sarah Boyack: The Scottish water authorities use a range of criteria in determining the best investment solutions for constructing schemes to serve their customers needs, including those schemes needed to meet the requirements of the 1994 Regulations.

  These will include financial and technical criteria, but clearly other issues will also come into play, including planning and environmental considerations. At the top end of those projects necessary to meet Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive requirements, are PFI/PPP projects. These are subject to rigorous scrutiny and assessment by the water authorities, using extensive guidance prepared by HM Treasury Task Force for this purpose. However, the main criterion here is that of a demonstrable saving in project costs over the Public Sector Comparator.

  In relation to those schemes which are undertaken directly and funded by the water authorities, the approach generally will be to identify the solution which offers best value for money, using a number of criteria. Scoping exercises will be undertaken to identify possible sites; assessments made of the environmental advantages and disadvantages of the sites, including cost considerations. Some sites will then be chosen for further detailed study, resulting in the identification of a preferred site.

  Experienced contractors will then be invited to submit tenders for the required facilities, and that which best satisfies the criteria will be selected. The water authorities have to be satisfied that the requisite statutory standards can be achieved, that the project can be completed in a manner compatible with wider environmental considerations, and that the facilities will offer the most effective long-term cost.

Water

Donald Gorrie (Central Scotland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will introduce regulations to ensure that water pipes in all new houses are inspected in order to check on the purity of the water and the use of lead solder.

Sarah Boyack: The three water authorities already have bylaws to control the materials and fittings which may be used with public water supplies. Under the bylaws it is an offence to use lead in fittings in contact with water which may be used for drinking purposes. The water authorities inspect a sample of new buildings on a risk-based approach to ensure that the plumbing complies with the bylaws. The Executive has commissioned the Scottish Centre for Infection and Environmental Health to conduct a survey to establish the prevalence of lead solder in new homes in Scotland, and once we have the results of that survey we will consider whether further action is necessary.